Mouse or rat trap.



Patented Dec. 3|, I901.

m LM lL -O E 04 MM. M A u m Hn nm GHE EU I No. 690,29I. 1

(Application (No llodol.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD GEORGE HUMMELL, OF LANCASTER, NEIV YORK.

MOUSE OR RAT TRAP.

SPEGIFIGATION -forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,291 dated December 3 1 1- Application filed April 20,1901. Serial No. 66,722. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD GEORGE HUM- MELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Mouse or Rat Trap, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to traps, and more particularly to a mouse or rat trap, the object being to provide a cheap, simple, and efficient device which can be easily set and which will operate with certainty when tripped.

With these objects in view the invention consists, essentially, in producing a longitudinal bore throughout the entire length of a block of wood, arranging vertical openings to communicate with the said bore, 10- eating choke-rings in the said vertical openings,which choke-rings are pivotally attached to operating-springs secured to the top of the block, said springs and rings being held set by means of strings placed in advance of the bait and which when gnawed will release the trap and permit the choke-rings to be operated.

The invention consists also in certain details of construction and novelties of combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the practical application of my invention, one end being broken away to disclose the location of the choke-ring and spring at that end. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the trap, one end being set and the other end released. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 in order to more clearly illustrate the manner of fastening the operating-strings.

In carrying out my invention I employ a block of wood A, having a flat base or bottom, so as to rest securely and avoid turning. This block is bored longitudinally from end to end, said bore B being preferably circular in cross-section. Vertical openings 0 are produced in the top of the block near each end and communicate with the central bore, in= tersecting it, as it were, and producing guideways G, in which slide the choking-rings D,

said rings being connected to the free ends of the springs E by means of the chains F. The springs E are preferably formed from a single piece of spring-wire formed into horizontal loops E, through which the screws E are passed to secure the spring at the top of the block,the spring being coiled or bent,as shown at E in order to exert an upward tension or pull upon the free ends of the string. The bait is introduced into the bore at the center through an opening A,said opening being nor= mally closed by means of plug or cap A connected to the block by means of a chain A A string G passes through the block and over the spring-arm E, holding the spring down, so that the choke-ring occupies its lowermost position, so that access can be had to the bait. The string G passes through the openings 0 produced in the block, the ends of said string being tied over the spring-arms, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the string being shown tied at one end and at the opposite end in process of tying, and while said string'is being tied around the spring-arm the said arm is held in place by means of hooks H, pivoted to the top of the block. After the string has been tied these hooks are disengaged from the spring-arm, so that the said arm is held down only by the string. The animal in his endeavor to .gain access to the bait will quickly gnaw the string, and the moment the stringis severed the spring-arm will draw the choke-ring forcibly upward, thereby chok= ing the animal gnawing the string. In this manner the animal is caught, and it will be seen that I have produced an exceedingly simple, durable, and efficient construction of trap.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a trap of the kind described, the combination with the block having a longitudi nal bore extending from end to end and having vertical openings adjacent to each end communicating with the said longitudinal bore, of the spring looped centrally to provide eyes for the attachment of the spring to the top of the block, the ends of the spring being coiled or bent and projected in opposite directions, the choke-rings adapted to be passed through the vertical openings into the ICO bore, the chains connecting the choke-rings ing the bait entrance produced in the side of and the ends of the spring, the hooks pivoted the block and communicating with the bore, t0 the top of the block and adapted to ensubstantially as set forth.

gage the ends of the spring, and the string EDWARD GEORGE HUMMELL. 5 passing through the block across the bore and Witnesses:

adapted to be tied over the ends of the FRANKLIN F. HUMMELL,

spring, and a plug or cap for normally clos- WILLIAM T. SALTER, 

